Manually-operated bolt-action firearm



Feb. 21, 933 A. F. LAUDENsAcK MANUALLY OPERATED BOLT ACTION FIREARM Filed April l5, 1932 2 SheabS--Sheel l gw om s@ dem Feb. 21, 193s. IA' E LAUDENSACK 1,898,670

. MANUALLY OPERATED BOLT ACTION FIREARM Filed April 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y but showing the bolt about half-wayV in its Patented Feb. 21, 1933 ALBERTI F. LAUDENSACK, F NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT,A ASSIGNOR '10 WINCHESTER REPEATING-ARMS COMPANY, OF NEW MARYLAND HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORORATION 0F MANUALLY-OPERATED BOLT-ACTION `FIREARIVI Application led April 15,

rlhis invention relates to an improvement in manually-operated bolt-action firearms, and particularly to that class of manuallyoperated bolt-action firearms having a socalled -uptur1r-and-pullback bolt-action. A One of the major defects in upturn-andpullb'ack bolt-action firearms has been the occasional failure of a cartridge to be properlyV fed from the magazine into the cartridge-chamber. In different designs of firearms of this type, one or more factors contribute to this failure. Une of thel primary objects ofmy present invention isto provide in a firearm of the class'described, simple, convenient and reliable means for insuring the proper feeding of cartridges from the magazine into the cartridge-chamber.

Tith4 the above and other objects in view,

aswill appear from the following, my invention consists in a manually-operated upturn-and-pullback bolt-action firearm having certain features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter appear.

' In the accompanying drawings: f l Fig. 1 is a broken view in vertical longitudinal section, showing one form which a manually-operated upturnA and pullback bolt-action firearm may assume in accord-` ance with my invention, the bolt being shown near the limit of its forward movement, just priorto the locking ofthe same;

Fig. 2 is a similar' view, `partly in side elevation and showing the positions which the parts assume when the bolt is near the limit of its rearward movement, just prior to the lejection Vof the previously-fired and now empty cartridge-case;

vF 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2,

forward travel, during the feeding of a cartridge from the magazine-adapter into the cartridge-chamber of the barrel;

Fig. iis a transverse sectional view taken on the line i- 4 of Fig. l;

Fig; 5 is a top or plan view of the-unit comprising the magazine case, magazineadapter and associated parts, detached;

Fig.` 6 is an under-'side view thereof;

1932. vSerial N0. 605,41?.

Fig. 7 is a broken view in side elevation of the forward end of the bolt as removed from the receiver of the gun;

Fig. 8 is a view in rear-end elevation o the barrel, detached;

Fig. 9 is a perspective'view of the magazine-adapter, detached;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the magazine case, detached; y

Fig. 11 is a view in front end elevation of the, ejector-unit, detached;

Fig. l2 is a view thereof-in longitudinal section, taken on the line 12-12 o f Fig.` l1; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the cartridge-pusher, detached, and

Fig. 14 is a detail view in vertical longitudinal` section showing-the rim of a cartridge seated against the conical recessin the gun-barrel.

The particular rifle herein chosen for the illustration of my invention is designed for the firing of high-power .22 calibre centeriire cartridges and consists, in the main, of a receiver 2()` of substantially usual form provided in its upper face with an upwardlyand laterally-extending opening 21, through which cartridges are introduced downwardly into the magazine and through which empty cartridge-cases are laterally ejected in the usual manner of such rearms.

The forward end of the receiver is formed with an internally-threaded socket 22 for the receptionof an externally-threaded shank 23, rearwardly offsetting from the rear end of a rifle-barrel 24. The said receiver is also formed adjacent its upper end and axially in line with the barrel 24: with a longitudinally-extending guide-way 25 for the guidance of a reciprocating upturn-andpullbackbolt, generally designated by the numeral 26, and which may be, in its general features, of any approved construction.

The said bolt 26, as shown, is provided adjacent its forward end with the usual pair of laterally-offsetting locking-lugs 27-27 adapted to coact with forwardly-facing locking-shoulders 28-28 formed in the forward end of the `receiver immediately adjacent the rear end of the barrel 24. The said bolt 26 is also provided adjacent its rear end with a laterally-offsetting operating-handle 29 by means of which the bolt is oscillated and reciprocated with respect to the gun-structure for the purpose of locking and unlocking itself and for feeding cartridges from the magazine to be hereinafter described) into the cartridge-chambcr 30 having a shoulder 30a and forming a feature of the barrel 24, and also for the purpose of extracting empty cartridge-cases from the said chamber, all in substantial accordance with usual practice.

The receiver 20 is mounted upon th-e upper face of a gun-stock 31, which is recessed on its upper face for the accommodation and definite positioning of the said receiver. The under-face of the (run-stock 31 has applied to it a guard-plate 32 having its rear end looped to form aAtrigger-guard 33, and its forward end serving as a magazine iioorplate, as will hereinafter appear.v Located over the said trigger-guard at the rear end of the plate 32 is a trigger-plate 34 provided with a longitudinal slot 35, through which downwardly projects the lower end of a tri gger 36.

The guard-plate 32, above referred to, is secured to the receiver 2O by a series of three (more or less) screws 37, 38 and 39, each of which projects upwardly through the said plate 32 and is threaded into suitable threaded bores provided in the receiver 20. The two rearmost screws 37 and 38 also pass upwardly through the respective opposite ends of the trigger-plate 34 and serve to position and hold the saine in place.

Formed near the forward end of the receiver 2O in line with the. opening 21 therein and below the path of travel of the bolt 26 is a vertical cartridge-feeding passage 40 leading downwardly into the interior of an upstanding rectangular sheet-instal magazine case 41. The upper end of the said magazine case is sleeved into a recess 42 formed in the under-face of the said receiver 20, while the lower edge of the said magazine caserests upon the upper face of the guardplate 32, the forward portion of which con.- stitutes a magazine floor-plate, as before pointed out.

The magazine case 41 is sufficiently large for the accommodation of large calibre cartridges, such as the .30 government O6, and to adapt the same for the holding of smaller cartridges such as high-power center-lire .22 calibre, I install in the forward portion of said magazine case 41' a sheet-metal magazine-adapter 43 of substantially-rectangular form and consisting, as herein shown, of an upwardly-l and forwardly-sloping front-wall 44 from which rearwardly offset two integra-l side-walls 45-45- Eachof the said sidewalls is provided at its rear edge with a pair of integral fingers 46, projecting through correspondinglyspaced perforations 47 formed in a back-plate 48 and bent inwardly over the outer surface thereof. rllhe backplate 48 is upwardly and forwardly sloped in substantial parallelism with the front-wall 44 of the magazine-adapter, which latter is adapted to accommodate a number of cartridges 49.

Each of the respective side-walls 45-45 of the adapter 43 is formed at its lower edge with an outwardly-offsetting positioningflange 50, resting upon. the upper surface of the guard-plate 32. Each of the said positioning-flanges 50 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart interlocking-projectio-ns or ngers`51-51 registering with and adapted to enter similarly-spaced notches S2-52, a pair of which is formed in the lower edge of each of the complementary side-walls of the magazine case 41.' j

The positioning-fiangcs 50 and their complementary interlocking-fingers 51-51 serve to definitely position the magazine-adapter 43 within the magazine case 41 inasmuch as the said fingers 51-51, by their interengagement with the notches 52-52 of the magazine case 41, serve to interlock the said adapter with the said magazine case so as to prevent the former from moving upwardly, laterally or longitudinally with respect thereto, the guard-plate 32 normally serving to prevent the downward displacement of the said adapter.

Installed within the magazine-adapter 43 is an inverted lil-shaped sheet-metal follower 53 upon which the cartridges 49 rest and by which they are urged upward for successive feeding into the chamber 30 under the urge ly turned at its upper edge to form alongi-V tudinally-extending cartridge-retaining lip 55. llhe two opposed complementary lips thus provided serve alternately to normally prevent the bodily upward egress of the cartridges 49 under the urge of the follower 53. The upper end of the front-wall 44 of the magazine-adapter 43 is forwardly offset to form a guide-lip 56 which is preferably of transversely-bowed or trough-like form, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, to more or less conform to the transverse form of the cartridges. The said guide-lip 56 projects forwardly over the front-wall of the magazine case 41 into close proximity to a. forwardlyand upwardly-sloping surface 57 formed upon the receiver 20 just immediately to the rear of the lower locking-shoulder 28 therein.

For the purpose of preventing the lateral displacement. ofv the uppery end: of the? magaf zine-adapter 43, the forward -Wallof them'ag.-y

azine case 4l is suitablyslitted =and;.turnedin Wardly to. formyaapair of "complementary re.-

tainingffin'gers 58+-581engaging the `respec-f` tiveopposite--sideevvalls offthe said adapter'.

adj arient.E theguideflipf thereof;

The 1bolt26'may, be ofany "approved: form ofgthe-fupturneandfpullback type, buttas here-4 in shown, it is provided, inaddition tol its operatingfhandle.; with:aaconically-contoured forward gend 5.9;A formed centrally With a; re-

cesselihe cartridgesheadseat 60 adapted to receive the head of a cartridge 49 and throughl vsimilarly-icontoured combined cartridge-seat.-

ingfand-guidingrrecess 62. formed in the rrear end of the barrel 24, before referred to, and slopinglyiintersectin'g, Withoutinterruption,

theirear; end; of ther cartridgeechamber 30 therein.: i

Art-.itsiforyvard end, the bolt 26is formed' in its; periphery with. a longitudinally-eXu tending; groove 63;,intersecting. its conical forward,` end. 59 and receiving; a `retira'ble` pivotal; cartridgepusher 64; pivotedr inter` mediate-its.forward and-rear ends. in the said and :.straddlel ai guideeweb 69..4 radially `pro#` jecting fromfthef. forward end of. the bottom;- of; the groove 63?` and: formed iintegral With:

thezibolt` itself.

orithepurposeofnormallyprojectingtheV T-shapedA head. 6:71 ofi. the said .pusherfout--` Wardly, JI` provide: the i said? pusher: in` its in.- nerfedge; with` ai. shallow pocket; 69@ receiv# ing'arhelical spring 69b,.the inner end of.

Which bearsuagainst'fthe bottom of thegroeve 63 befor.ereferred to: j

Thegbolt hasfalso secured `to it, in z. the

usualmanner'.A ofi` bolt-action firearms, a lon"- gitudinallyeextendingf extractor 70, secured ihplacei-.bymeans of 'thezusual ring 7l andV having. at its; forward-,enden inwardlyt`urned1hookr'72, normally slightly` overhanging the` cartridge'fhead; seatr 60 `intheforward -end of the. said bolt and `adapted to engagegtheforward face. of'` the `head ofA avcartridge" for-V the purpose of" extracting the samefrom the `chamber 30 4When fthe bolt 26 is drawn rearwardly; i

For the.purpose of'ejectirrgv a cartridg laterally. throughitheside of the opening 2l in'therreceiver, as.- will 5 hereinafter appear, l provide a pivotal ejector 7,3 which". instead of being mounted directly in the receiverxiii ac.f` cordanceivvith the usual practice,.is pivotally mounted,.by means of 'a pin 74, inza .block7 like ejector-holder 75, mounted, andfsecuredY by means of' rivets 76, in theupper endzof.` the magazine case 41, betvveenthe rear: Wall thereof and therear Wall of themagazine;l adapter 43. The said ejector. 73 is pivotech. as described, adjacent its rear vend and is pro-4 vided with anejector-nose 77' adaptedto be enga-ged by the rear end'of a cartridgeas.y the same is drawn rearwardly with the. bolt, and theV latter approaches. the limitofits rearward movement.

The forwardend. of the ejector; 73 issnor mallyurged outward so as tofproject its nose 77 into the path of the headof the cartridge,

`as above described, by means` of a helical spring 78 having its outer endseated'in a notch 7 9 in the inner edge of the saidiejec.` tor 73, While Vits inner end is seated in ashal#Y lovv pocket 80, leading outof the bottom tof: the longitudinal groove 81j invvhich thesaid `ejector is `located in the said holder.

The rearward travelA of `theibolt 26:'is-n'or-- mally limited, for the purposeas Will heref inafter appear, by providing thesaid bolt' With. a rearwardly-facing stop-'shoulder 82'. Which is adapted to engage` the forward face of asear-nose 83 forminga usual feature .of asear'84, which latter isactuated in the usual manner by the triggerd'before' referredV For the purpose of making clear tlef'func'# tioningof the parts before.y described, let. it Vbe presumed that thebolt 26'is at the limit?A of its rearward travel, with itsl stop-shoulder 82. engagedrvvith the scar-nose 83. In thisposition of the parts,the'said bolt Will oc cupya position but slightly to the rear ofthe; position in vvhichfit is shown in Fig: 2, andxit: will be noted that the conically-contoured,` forwardend 59. of the said boit extends for;r Ward slightly over Athe rear endi of` the magazinefadapter 43. Cartridges mayl noiv be successively fed downwardlyl Vinto the said magazine-adapter43 through? .theopening 2land cartridge-feeding passage:

40 in the receiver 20, and Will pile up. inthe` said adapter much in the manner'shownin Fig. l of the drawings, beingheld againstup'# Wardl expulsion by one orthe other of the overhan ging cartridge-retaining. lips i552;

Byst-opping the rearward movementof the bolt in such position that its forWardend;

slightly overhangs the rear Wall A48 offthe` adapter43, each cartridge, `as the same is forced into the adapter, Will automatically have its head positioned forvvardly'of the.' head of the preceding cartridge, tothus in.- sure lthe freedom for 'forward-:travel of'feaeh cartridge as itreachesthe` uppermost posi-` tion in the said adapter; 1 i

lf now the bolt 26 be manuallyfforced' for*` Wardly, the forwardfface .o-f .thenovv projecte ing T-shaped head 67 of the cartridge-pusher 64 will engage the rear face of the then uppermost cartridge 49 and force the same forwardly toward the chamber 30. As a given cartridge is being thus forced forwardly, its forward end will slide through the cartridge guiding-lip 56 at the forward end of the adapter 43 to thus be more or less centered thereby and prevented from unduly canting laterally and, in addition, prevented from dipping downwardly.

. As a further precaution to insure the proper entry of the bullet end of a given cartridge into the chamber 30, the conically-contoured recess 62 before referred to is provided.

Thus, if for any reason during the forward movement of the cartridge now being described, the bullet end of the cartridge should become unduly lifted, the upper portion of the said recess 62 will serve to guide the said bullet end downwardly toward the open rear end of the chamber 30. 'It will be understood, of course, that the instant the head end of the cartridge clears the forward end of the lips 55 of the adapter 43, the said rear end will rise under the urge of the follower 53 and thereby assume a less inclined position to further facilitate the entry of the b-ullet end into the chamber 30.

lVith the bullet end of the cartridge started into the open rear end of the chamber 30, a continued forward movement of the bolt 26 and its ultimate oscillation by swinging its handle 29 downward, will serve to firmly seat the said cartridge therein, preparatory to discharging the gun.

It will be noted that the surface of the conical recess 62 directly intersects the rear end of the chamber 30, so that when a cartridge is pushed home in the said chamber, the forward corner of its head will seat against the cone-like surface of the said recess before the should-er of the said cartridge can reach the shoulder 30a of the cartridgechamber 30. In other words, no specially cut head-seat is provided which would form a ledge against which the bullet end of the cartridge might catch and thus jam. The disq charge of the gun may be effected in the usual manner by means of the trigger 36 which :cartridge-guiding lip 56 of the magazineadapter 43, but owing to its retirable character (it being pivoted, as already described), it will ride smoothly over the said surface wit-hout affording any appreciable hindrance to the travel of the bolt.

After a cartridge has been fired, the handle 29 of the bolt 26 is upturned for the purpose of unlocking the bolt, after which the boltl is drawn rearwardly by means of the said handle, carrying with it, through the intermediary of the extractor V70, the now empty cartridge-case.

When in the rearward travelof the bolt, the rear end of the cartridge-case is vengaged with the forward edge of 'the ejectornose 77, the empty cartridge-case `will be flippedf so to speak, laterally outward through the side of the opening' 2l in the receiver 20 inthe usual mannerof bolt-action firearms. j

With the empty cartridge-case thus ejected and the bolt in its rearmost position, the gunis now in condition for another cycle of operation. j y

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that my invention may assume varied physical forms without departing from my inventive concept and I, therefore, 'do not limit myself to the specific embodiment'here` in chosen for illustration, but'only as cated in the'appended claims.

I claim: j 1. In a manuallv-operated, upturn-andindition with the bolt thereof having a slot openrpullbaclr, bolt-action'firearm, the combinaing through its forwardend; of a retirable cartridge-pusher pivotally mounted in the slot in the said bolt and having a slotted forward end engagea-ble with a cartridge for feeding the same into the cartridge-chamber 'f of the firearm upon a forward movement of the said bolt; and guid-e-means carried by the said bolt and projecting into thel slot in the forward end of the said cartridge-pusher forV guiding the same.

2. In a manually-operated, upturn-andpullbacl, bolt-action firearm, the combination with the bolt thereof having a slot opening through its forward end;V of a retirable cartridge-pusher pivotally mountedy in the carried by the said magazine case at a point to the rear of the said magazine-adapter.

4. In a manually-operated, upturn-andpullback, bolt-action firearm, the combination with the receiver thereof; of a maga- Zine case associated with the said receiver; a

magazine-adapter installed in the forward end of the said magazine case; and an oscillating ejector secured to the said magazine case at a point to the rear of the said magazine-adapter. i

5. In a manually-operated, upturn-andpullback, bolt-action firearm, the combination with the receiver thereof; of a magazine case associated with the said receiver; a magazine-adapter installed in the forward end of the said magazine oase; an ejectorholder carried by the said magazine case at a point to the rear of the said magazine-adapter therein; and an ejector carried by the said ejector-holder. v

6. In a manually-operated, upturn-andpullloack, bolt-action firearm, the combinai tion with the receiver thereof; of a magazine case associated with the said receiver; a magazine-adapter located within the forward end of the said magazine case; and positioning-means carried by the forward wall of the said magazine case and engagealole with the said magazine-adapter adjacent theupper portion thereof for holding the same against lateral displacement.

7. In a manually-operated, upturn-andpullloack, bolt-action firearm, the combination with the receiver thereof; of a magazine case associated with the said receiver; a magazine-adapter located within the forward end of the said magazine case; and positioning-means osetting from the lower end of the said magazine-adapter and engagealole with the said magazine case adjacent the lower end thereof.

8. In a manually-onerated, upturn-andpullback, bolt-action firearm, the combination with the receiver thereof; of a magazine case associated with the said receiver and formed in its lower edge with notches; a magazine-adapter installed within the said magazine case and having projections offsetting into the notches in the said magazine case for interlocking the latter and the said adapter.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ALBERT F. LAUDENSACK. 

